# why won't fast food restaurants serve real iced tea? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [December 16, 2002, 7:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wont-fast-food-restaurants-serve-real-iced-tea/143043 "2002-12-16T07:32:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![SweetLucy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bcef8e/32.png) [@SweetLucy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SweetLucy)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2002, 7:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wont-fast-food-restaurants-serve-real-iced-tea/143043/1 "2002-12-16T07:32:57Z")
Why won’t fast food restaurants serve iced tea anymore? The only ones that know how to brew tea right is Wendy’s and Sonic. Other places just serve that instant crap or the kind that’s presweetened raspberry (bleah!) The instant Nestea tastes like a diet coke that’s sat out in the sun for sixty days! I think it’s just laziness on the part of restaurant managers to serve this kind of crap. Personally I like plain ole brewed unsweet tea, it’s much more refreshing than a soda much of the time. ---
**Author:** ![AfterAugust](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dfb087/32.png) [@AfterAugust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AfterAugust)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2002, 7:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wont-fast-food-restaurants-serve-real-iced-tea/143043/2 "2002-12-16T07:44:46Z")
I am thoroughly unimpressed with any drink that comes from fast food restaurants. The employees need to start filling up the drink fountains with soda syrup more, so customers won’t get stuck with incredibly diluted drinks… ---
**Author:** ![Alma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecd19e/32.png) [@Alma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alma)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2002, 7:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wont-fast-food-restaurants-serve-real-iced-tea/143043/3 "2002-12-16T07:58:28Z")
Somehow I don’t think it’s the employees who are calibrating the syrup to carbonated water ratio. ---
**Author:** ![Pythagras](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/45deac/32.png) [@Pythagras](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pythagras)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2002, 7:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wont-fast-food-restaurants-serve-real-iced-tea/143043/4 "2002-12-16T07:59:07Z")
I think part of it might be promotional. The coca-cola people came by to do something with our soda-gun and offered us vanilla coke on tap for free for a while. We have vanilla, and we have coke though, so we can combine them to make vanilla coke when it’s ordered. I’d imagine that the train of thought of coke was the same a couple years ago during the iced-tea marketting blitz. My mom also doesnt make iced-tea any more, she has nestea or lipton’s. Also: 1. Its less labor intensive in a lot of different ways 2. More consistant taste (even if its “worse”), nobody complains that the iced-tea is off if theyve been drinking the same iced-tea their whole life. ---
**Author:** ![AfterAugust](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dfb087/32.png) [@AfterAugust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AfterAugust)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2002, 8:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wont-fast-food-restaurants-serve-real-iced-tea/143043/5 "2002-12-16T08:04:29Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by lard2000 \* > \*\*Somehow I don’t think it’s the employees who are calibrating the syrup to carbonated water ratio. \*\* I’ve worked fast food before, and one of our jobs was to refill the syrup in the soda fountains whenever drinks were getting too watery. It only takes about 2 minutes…not a huge chore. Oh well, this is why I usually get water when in these places anyway. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Alma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecd19e/32.png) [@Alma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alma)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2002, 8:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wont-fast-food-restaurants-serve-real-iced-tea/143043/6 "2002-12-16T08:07:27Z")
Oh. Well okay. My fast food working experiences were different. No matter. ---
**Author:** ![XJETGIRLX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9fc29f/32.png) [@XJETGIRLX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XJETGIRLX)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2002, 8:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wont-fast-food-restaurants-serve-real-iced-tea/143043/7 "2002-12-16T08:34:40Z")
Just a tip: Chick-fil-a has real, home-brewed iced tea and it is wonderful! I used to work there, and even still when I go I have to get iced tea instead of my usual Dr. Pepper. Wonderful stuff, really. ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2002, 10:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wont-fast-food-restaurants-serve-real-iced-tea/143043/8 "2002-12-16T10:27:51Z")
Whose home do they brew it at? ---
**Author:** ![AbsolutelyStark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/278dde/32.png) [@AbsolutelyStark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AbsolutelyStark)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2002, 11:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wont-fast-food-restaurants-serve-real-iced-tea/143043/9 "2002-12-16T11:32:35Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by matt\_mcl \* > \*\*Whose home do they brew it at? \*\* Yours, of course! But you have to keep an eye on them while they’re in your house or they’ll pee in the sink. ---
**Author:** ![TelcontarStorm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3ab097/32.png) [@TelcontarStorm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TelcontarStorm)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2002, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wont-fast-food-restaurants-serve-real-iced-tea/143043/10 "2002-12-16T14:55:00Z")
FWIW A few years ago a favorite fast food joint of mine started up with the nasty machine tea. as I was somewhat aqainted with the Manager I asked. Besides the spiel on space/ time saving I also was told that fresh brewed tea that sits at lukewarm tempatures aquires a stale taste caused by bacteria. I’ve tasted that before, and I can relate. I can even smell it in a glass that has sat too long. Needless to say I ask how old the tea is and if it has sat in the comtainer too long, I pass on it. 6 hours is about my limit. **Arby’s** still has fresh brewed, and they keep it in the dining area where it is away from the heat of the kitchen. **XJET** canm I get an “AWWWW YEA” for the most holy Doc? ---
**Author:** ![In\_Conceivable](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/4bbf92/32.png) [@In\_Conceivable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/In_Conceivable)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2002, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wont-fast-food-restaurants-serve-real-iced-tea/143043/11 "2002-12-16T15:03:32Z")
I was going to join this thread to tell you that Wendy’s makes good iced tea but I see you already know that. I think that the reason they do it is consistancy. It is hard to make consistant batches of regular iced tea. Employees may let it brew too long, use water that is too cold so the sugar does disolve, etc. Instant tea is consistant even if it isn’t good. A major principal of fast food is consistancy. Really, good iced tea is the main selling point for any restaurant for me. I seldom go places that serve instant tea. Life is too short. ---
**Author:** ![B.Pants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a87d85/32.png) [@B.Pants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/B.Pants)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2002, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wont-fast-food-restaurants-serve-real-iced-tea/143043/12 "2002-12-16T15:57:36Z")
Burger King brews their iced tea, and it still tastes like crap when it’s fresh. Yuck. Don’t even get me started on McDonald’s tea. It’s the absolute worst of the worst. It’s like lightly flavored water. Blech. ---
**Author:** ![Waverly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/57b2e6/32.png) [@Waverly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Waverly)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2002, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wont-fast-food-restaurants-serve-real-iced-tea/143043/13 "2002-12-16T16:15:18Z")
Jeez. Restaurants serving cheap, mass-produced, unpalatable food are also offering cheap, mass-produced, unpalatable tea. I’m stymied. ---
**Author:** ![KarmaComa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e36b37/32.png) [@KarmaComa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarmaComa)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2002, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wont-fast-food-restaurants-serve-real-iced-tea/143043/14 "2002-12-16T16:54:49Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by SweetLucy \* > \*\*Why won’t fast food restaurants serve iced tea anymore? The only ones that know how to brew tea right is Wendy’s and Sonic. Other places just serve that instant crap or the kind that’s presweetened raspberry (bleah!) The instant Nestea tastes like a diet coke that’s sat out in the sun for sixty days! I think it’s just laziness on the part of restaurant managers to serve this kind of crap. Personally I like plain ole brewed unsweet tea, it’s much more refreshing than a soda much of the time. \*\* I know I’m always a nasty crank, but this is just too much. **If you don’t want to eat and drink crap, stop going to fast food restaurants, you fucking idiot!** ---
**Author:** ![super\_head](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d6d6ee/32.png) [@super\_head](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/super_head)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2002, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wont-fast-food-restaurants-serve-real-iced-tea/143043/15 "2002-12-16T17:11:11Z")
Do any fast food places serve sweet tea? Everytime I’ve asked (albeit, not that often), they tell me I can just add sugar. **As if!** ---
**Author:** ![slortar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@slortar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slortar)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2002, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wont-fast-food-restaurants-serve-real-iced-tea/143043/16 "2002-12-16T18:03:17Z")
Actually, I’d be disappointed if the ice tea at a fast food joint was good. I go to places like that specifically for the bad food. Good tea would ruin the ambience. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![In\_Conceivable](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/4bbf92/32.png) [@In\_Conceivable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/In_Conceivable)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2002, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wont-fast-food-restaurants-serve-real-iced-tea/143043/17 "2002-12-16T18:09:26Z")
Where are you from **super\_head**? In the south every fast food place serves sweet tea. I honestly can’t think of one that doesn’t. Often it is the nasty fake stuff, but still sweetened. ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2002, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wont-fast-food-restaurants-serve-real-iced-tea/143043/18 "2002-12-16T18:10:20Z")
As long as we’re ranting about drinks in fast-food places, why can’t they invent a better way of carrying the drinks when you order to go? Not everybody wants to eat in their cars; some people like to drive home and eat there. Those molded papier-mache drink trays are hardly adequate for the job when you have to hold the food in your other hand, and have to park any distance from your front door. So they should come up with a sort of temporary drink carrier, like a six-pack, or – even easier-- they could sell you canned soda! ---
**Author:** ![3waygeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/3/e95f7d/32.png) [@3waygeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/3waygeek)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2002, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wont-fast-food-restaurants-serve-real-iced-tea/143043/19 "2002-12-16T18:10:21Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by super\_head \* > **Do any fast food places serve sweet tea?** Well, here in Atlanta, most of them offer both sweet and unsweet tea. However, since I can’t stand sweet tea, I can’t vouch for its quality. Usually, I’ll just get a Diet Coke. ---
**Author:** ![super\_head](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d6d6ee/32.png) [@super\_head](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/super_head)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2002, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wont-fast-food-restaurants-serve-real-iced-tea/143043/20 "2002-12-16T18:30:13Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by In Conceivable \* > Where are you from **super\_head**? In the south every fast food place serves sweet tea. I honestly can’t think of one that doesn’t. Often it is the nasty fake stuff, but still sweetened. Well, I lived in Alabama where they had the nasty fake stuff - thinking back, yeah, maybe there some sweet tea and I didn’t drink it because it was the nasty fake stuff. 🙂 Out here in Colorado though, I can’t even get the good real stuff when dining out. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wont-fast-food-restaurants-serve-real-iced-tea/143043.md?page=2)